Garment bagging machine with pivotally mounted garment supporter and latch means therefor



Nov. 28, 195

INVENTOR- Lmz's fine-en Patented Nov. 28, 1950 GARMENT BAGGING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED GARMENT SUP- BORTER AND LATCH MEANS THEREFOR Louis M. Jensen, London, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to E. R. Jarmain & Co. Limited, London Ontario, Canada MACHINE WITH Application February 24, 1947, Serial N 0. 730,329 In Canada November 26, 1946 Claims I This invention relates to bagging machines, and more particularly to the type employed in placing bags over garments following cleaning as is usual practice in dry cleaning plants and the like.

Many machines have heretofore been proposed for this purpose but such machinesare usually subject to one or more disadvantages including structural complication and operating ineon venience.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine which may be simply and inexpensively manufactured; which occupies a minimum of floor space, and which is convenient-and labour-saving in operationv To this end, the invention contemplates the provision of a main frame, and an auxiliary bagging frame rotatably mounted intermediate its ends in the main frame whereby on rotation of the auxiliary frame a portion only thereof extends laterally of themain frame thus conserving space and greatly facilitating the handling of garments. The invention also comprises a balanced construction and mounting of the auxiliary frame whereby it normally assumes a vertically disposed position but, on placement of a garment and bag thereon, it tends to swing downwardly into an inclined conveniently accessible position. Ihe invention further comprises novel latching means for the auxiliary frame.

The invention additionally includes, inassociation with the main frame, means for supporting a plurality of bags in such manner that a single bag may be withdrawn therefrom in. a convenient and positive manner.

Other objects, details and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying' drawing in which,

Figure I is a front elevation of the bagging machine,

Figure 21's a side elevation, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail elevation of the latching means.

In the drawing, 5 is a main supporting structure or frame, preferably of tubular metal construction and comprising simply four vertically extending corner posts 2 connected together by a plurality of transverse members an auxiliary bagging frame of generally rectangular form comprises a U-shaped bag and garment supporting member 5 located on the forward side of the main frame and extending from the upper to the base portion thereof. Means are provided for pivotally mounting the member 5 on the main frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis substantially midway between the ends of the m mber while permitting sleeving of a baa oversuch member. Such means comprises a transverse bar 6 to which the ends of the leg portions of member 5 are fixed at points spaced inwardly from the ends of the bar, and arms or rods 1 fixed to the ends of the bar and having their upper ends pivotally mounted in brackets 3 on the forward posts of the main frame. The leg portions of the member are parallel to the rods l but forwardly offset therefrom, the ends of such leg portions being inwardly directed and fixed to the forward side of the bar 6 to provide such offset relation, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The upper portion 11 of member 5 has the general' shape of an ordinary garment hanger and is preferably provided with a. supporting web portion Hi. It will be observed that the bar His in slightly spaced relation to the base of the main frame when the auxiliary frame is in vertically disposed position. A hook IL2 adapted to support a garment hanger, indicated at It, is provided at the apex of portion i'.

It will also be observed that,since the weight of the lower portion of the auxiliary frame, which includes the bar 6 and rods 1, is greater than that of the upper portion, which includes merely the upper portion of member 5, the auxiliary framewill normally seek a vertically disposed position, as shown in Figure 1. However, on suspension of a garment I 5 thereon, the major portion of such garment normally will be located above the horizontal pivotal axis, as will be apparent from Figure 1, and the weight of such major portion will, due to the forwardly ofiset relation of member 5, cause the upper portion of the auxiliary frame to swing forwardly into a position substantially as illustrated in Figure 2. The weight or balancing of the various parts of the auxiliary frame is of course chosen in the construction thereof to assist and accomplish this operative result.

Means for latching or looking the auxiliary frame in vertically disposed position comprises a transverse shaft i5 rotatably mounted in the forward portion of the main frame and a latch member it fixed to the shaft. The forward portion of the latch it is provided with a transverse groove 5? for reception of the bar 6. A counterweight it, secured to the shaft, normally tends to swing the forward portion upwardly into eneasement with the bar 6. The rearward portion of the latch may beextended to provide the counterweight. The forward portion may be extended to provide a pedal H which may be depressed to release the latch from engagement with the bar. Auxiliary means for releasing the latch may comprise a lever 2 fixed to one end of the shaft 15 and a chain cable or the like 2! connected to the lever and extending upwardly for support in a tube 22, mounted on the upper portion of the main frame. lhe tube is reversely curved to support the end of the chain in downwardly extending relation whereby a downward pulling movement may be exerted thereon to swing the lever and rotate the shaft and latch to release the latter.

The surface of the latch is shaped whereby the rear portion 23 of the groove i! is relatively deep whereas the forward portion 2 3 is relatively shallow. It will be appreciated that, if the groove were sufficiently deep to receive and hold the bar 6 on initial impact therewith, the shock of such impact would set up undesirable and de structive vibrations and stresses in the auxiliary and main frames. In accordance with the invention, however, on initial relatively heavy impact of the bar 6 with the groove, the bar will move out of the groove at the shallow forward side thereof and thereafter return with much lighter impact while being restrained from moving out of the rear side of the groove because of the greater depth thereof. shock of impact, an annular body 25, of leather, rubber, or other fibrous material, may be fixed to the bar 6 for contact with the groove.

Bag holding means are also provided in association with the main supporting structure of frame and comprise a plurality of broad V- shaped or trough-shaped bag holding trays 2%; carried in superimposed relation to each other by the upper ends of the posts 2, which are flared outwardly, as indicated at 27, to provide trays of varying size for various lengths of paper bags 32. Each tray is provided at its rearward end with an outwardly extending and downwardly inclined clip-supporting strip 28 and a spring clip 29 is mounted on the end of the strip, each clip having a needle or pin 36 adapted to project through the bags adjacent their upper margin. One or more of the strips 28 may be adjustable as to l ngth, as indicated by way of example at 3!, for further adjustability as to size of bags.

In operation, a supply of bags 32 of various lengths are positioned on the trays 26 and secured thereon by means of the clips 29. As shown in Figure 2, the lower ends of the bags hang downwardly over the forward ends of the trays and the main portions of the bags assume the V-shape or trough-shape of the trays. When the lower end of a bag is grasped and pulled forward by an operator, it assumes a substantially horizontal position, as indicated at 33, whereby the major portion is separated from the main pile of bags. Such separation is important in that it eliminates frictional adherence of another bag or bags to the bag being removed and breaks any adhesive connection between adjacent bags as frequently occurs due to presence of adhesive employed in the manufacture of the bags, static electricity, printers ink or other mechanical adhesion. Thus, the separation substantially eliminates the accidental displacement of other bags. Moreover, the separation promotes ease of withdrawal by substantially reducing the frictional contact between the bag being removed and the main pile.

In order further to reduce With the auxiliary frame in latched upright position, a cleaned garment on a usual hanger is hung by the operator on the hook l2, the open frame of the hanger being placed in engagement with the hook, as shown in Figure 1, with the hook portion of the hanger extending upwardly above the frame. A bag of proper length is then pulled forwardly by the operator, such movement severing the portion adjacent the needle. The bag is then, through its open bottom, sleeved downwardly over the auxiliary frame member 5 and the garment suspended thereon. As the closed top of the bag engages the hook portion of the hanger, it is punctured thereby, and the top of the bag engages the top of the frame and the garment. The operator then releases the latch either by pulling the chain or depressing the pedal, and the auxiliary frame swings forwardly into the position shown in Figure 2. It is then only necessary for the operator to take one or two steps backwardly, at the same time grasping the hanger hook and pulling the bagged article out of engagement with the frame. It will be observed that the leg portions of the frame member 5 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of a garment hanger, and thus provide a support for the marginal portions of the garment. The web portion It] supports the hanger and the upper portion of the garment. Therefore, when the auxiliary frame is in inclined position, the garment, by reason of such supports, retains its position in the bag and does not tend to bunch up or become disarranged in the bag.

As previously indicated, when the bagged garment is removed from the auxiliary frame, it returns automatically to its upright latched position.

I claim:

1. In a garment bagging machine having a rigid frame structure, garment supporting means comprising a base member, a pair of spaced arms fixed to and carrying the base member and pivotally suspended from the structure about a substantially horizontal axis, and a substantially U-shaped garment supporting member carried by the base member, the ends of the leg portions of the garment supporting member being fixed to said base member at points forwardly offset and inwardly spaced with respect to said arms.

2. In a garment bagging machine having a rigid frame structure, garment supporting means comprising a bar constituting the base thereof, a pair of spaced arms fixed to and carryingthe bar, means pivotally suspending the arms from the structure about a substantially horizontal axis located above the center of gravity of said garment supporting means, a garment supporting frame carried by said bar, and latch means for holding said frame in substantially upright position comprising a shaft rotatably mounted in said structure, a latch member fixed to the shaft and having a bar-receiving grooved portion therein on one side of the shaft and a counterweight portion on the other side of said shaft tending to move the grooved portion upwardly into engagement with said bar.

3. A garment bagging machine as defined in claim 2, said latch member having a forwardly extending pedal for releasing the grooved portion from engagement with the bar.

4. A garment bagging machine comprising a rigid frame member, a garment supporting frame pivotally suspended from said structure about a substantially horizontal axis spaced from either ment with said bar, said groove having a relatively deep rearward surface and a relatively shallow forward surface.

5. In a garment bagging machine having a rigid frame structure, garment supporting means comprising a base member, a pair of spaced arms fixed to and carrying the base member and pivotally suspended from the structure about a, substantially horizontal axis, and a substantially U-shaped garment supporting member carried by the base member, the ends of the le portions of the garment supporting 6 member being fixed to said base member at points inwardly spaced with respect to said arms, said supporting member being otherwise in free and unattached relation to freely receive a garment thereover.

LOUIS M. JENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 220,105 Wilt Sept. 30, 1879 227,492 Crandall May 11, 1880 781,684 Sherwood Feb. 7, 1905 1,642,619 Medlock Sept. 13, 1927 2,041,224 Brown May 19, 1936 2,284,160 McCarty May 26, 1942 2,302,238 McFall Nov.. 17, 1942 

